Posted - 05/03/2012 : 07:35:23 ....unless he changes his game and attitude.

The 3OT game showed Ovie's true colours. He was a floating like an out of shape bum.

Backstrom a beast, still skating strong. Joel Ward was a terror. Not sure how he still had the energy.

Ovie, float like a butterfly sting like nothing. Terrible. You're tired, so are the other guys. Do something, anything, that's what leaders do. Lead.

What he needs are a few off season training with Gary Roberts if he is ever going to be a winner.

17 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First)

Guest0624

Posted - 05/05/2012 : 20:24:54

quote:Originally posted by mandree888now im no doctor but i am pretty sure everyones body is different what may tire me out may not tire you out. stating that he was tire is an obvious statment and no excuse to say that he is a bad player.

I don't think anyone said he is a bad player. What was said is that he looked like he was out of shape compared to other players. Even then, you can be tired but still try, put in that effort, lead like a captain was supposed to (see Joel Ward, Backstrom or Giradi and McDonagh). Ovie gave little to no effort in that 3rd game. Didn't see game 4 so couldn't comment on his effort. Anyone?

mandree888

Posted - 05/05/2012 : 07:44:27

quote:Originally posted by Guest0624

quote:Originally posted by slozoMaybe the question should be, where's Backstrom and Semin and Green been?

Sorry Backstrtom was trying. Yeah no result but effort was all there. He was skating moving his feet. Ovechkin looked lethargic. Look at what he did after he whiffed on the one timer. No energy. No battle. No effort. And don't tell me he was playing Lidstrom style where it looks effortless.

you know i would love to see you play for DOUBLE the time you are accustom to playing and then see how tired you are. i would then love to see your reaction to people saying you suck because you are tired. the guy essentially played two games that night. granted they all did. now im no doctor but i am pretty sure everyones body is different what may tire me out may not tire you out. stating that he was tire is an obvious statment and no excuse to say that he is a bad player.

mandree888

Posted - 05/05/2012 : 06:44:04 ROFL ALEX!

Alex116

Posted - 05/04/2012 : 22:30:40

quote:Originally posted by Guest0624

quote:Originally posted by slozoMaybe the question should be, where's Backstrom and Semin and Green been?

Sorry Backstrtom was trying. Yeah no result but effort was all there. He was skating moving his feet. Ovechkin looked lethargic. Look at what he did after he whiffed on the one timer. No energy. No battle. No effort. And don't tell me he was playing Lidstrom style where it looks effortless.

I think maybe he was playing like Nik Lidstrom where it looks effortless.

Guest0624

Posted - 05/04/2012 : 21:14:42

quote:Originally posted by slozoMaybe the question should be, where's Backstrom and Semin and Green been?

Sorry Backstrtom was trying. Yeah no result but effort was all there. He was skating moving his feet. Ovechkin looked lethargic. Look at what he did after he whiffed on the one timer. No energy. No battle. No effort. And don't tell me he was playing Lidstrom style where it looks effortless.

slozo

Posted - 05/04/2012 : 08:51:53 Yeah, I have to disagree a bit with this opinion that Ovie is playing like an out of shape bum. In fact, reading what you've written, I am wondering if we are watching the same game?

I am not saying that Ovechkin has been a total wrecking ball, running over the opposition - he hasn't. But that often has as much to do with what opposition you have, as is the case here I feel.

Rangers are a very solid defensive team. Ovechkin has been the number one target. Ovechkin has largely been held in check, save for that game winning goal which was the only game the Caps won.

Ahem. Yes - that's right . . . the only game winning goal by a Cap this current series was by Ovechkin, and other than that, he's been held in check.

Maybe the question should be, where's Backstrom and Semin and Green been?

"Take off, eh?" - Bob and Doug

Guest8384

Posted - 05/04/2012 : 07:29:30 I totally agree that this team jumped the gun. I have been saying this since the day they lost to Pittsburgh in 7.

They were contending and took Pittsburgh to a very hard fought series. rewind the clock and I would leave everything the same and get a better goalie than they had. If I remember correctly they didn't give Theodore much of a chance in those playoffs, they pulled him early and he never got back in.

I don't know if this team could have gotten it done or not. I wouldn't trust green or Semin in a long playoff battle.

Guest5052

Posted - 05/03/2012 : 14:36:20 I am not saying he will or wont, but people said that about Brett Hull.

I guess until you do it, no one believes you will. He certainly doesnt look as dominant as he did 3 years ago.

This is as wide open as I can recall the playoffs, washington has a half decent chance.

Guest4350

Posted - 05/03/2012 : 13:39:46

quote:Originally posted by The_Gipper

its not just Ovechkin.......its also Backstrom, Green, & Semin. all these guys were offensive power houses 3 years ago. now they're playing a system that will put you to sleep.

No from what I've seen Backstrom, had that jump in him even in the 3rd OT He played like he gave a hoot. Green not so much but still more than what Ovie and Semin showed. Semin was so invisible that I didn't even realize he was on the ice. But then I had very little expectation of the other Alex.

If Ovie gave it every shift, like Joel Ward, with his skill, man he'd be the best player in the league. But he didn't and being the captain that is not a good sign for your team.

Posted - 05/03/2012 : 11:59:55 This thread is bad and OP should feel bad. Ovie was a machine most of the game, just ask Dan Girardi how many bruises he woke up with this morning. He had more ice-time and scoring chances in this game, even with the most defensive and unoriginal coach left in the playoffs. He also came within 2 inches of ending the game when he hit the post, in which case everyone would be praising him for two straight game-winning goals. Ovi hating is really getting old.

Oh, and he's fourth all time on the playoff points-per game list. Pretty sure you can win a cup with this guy.

Posted - 05/03/2012 : 11:24:38 its not just Ovechkin.......its also Backstrom, Green, & Semin. all these guys were offensive power houses 3 years ago. now they're playing a system that will put you to sleep.the unfortunate part is that the NYR play the same style. defense first. the team that manages to stay awake the longest will win the series.

Guest4350

Posted - 05/03/2012 : 11:19:01

quote:Originally posted by mandree888stop hating on ovi he is one of the best in the world.

When was the last time that ovie played like one of the best (top 5) in the world? Not this year and most of last.

mandree888

Posted - 05/03/2012 : 10:21:28 what dale hunter is doing is implementing a style that makes all playings try not just Ovi. i aggree with it i think by giving ovi less minutes and saying now go win it take pressure off ovi and puts more accountability to others on the roster good on dale hunter for doing this. stop hating on ovi he is one of the best in the world. he may not be the best leader but they made it past the first round against boston what happend with pitsburgh o yeah they got beat in the first round ......

Alex116

Posted - 05/03/2012 : 10:21:22

quote:Originally posted by Guest6376

When the coach plays you 12 minutes a game, the motivation to be a difference maker is affected and your timing is off. Not quite sure what Hunter is trying to do here. He's alianating his star players.

Personally, i feel like Washington panicked after running into a hot goalie in Halak and changed the style that made them successful. You drafted offensively talented players, brought them up in a system that praises offense and a run and gun style and one day to the next, you try to implement a defensive system not suited to your core players. I don't know how Pittsburgh, philly, chicago would do if such a system was imposed from one day to the next.

Good point, but i think it's prob easier to teach an offensively gifted player to thrive at defense than it is a defensive player offence. What i mean is, defensive hockey is positioning, marking your man, backchecking, etc, all skills that can be taught. Take a defensive forward and try to teach him to score and you'll find its not that easy. They either have the skill or not, as a lot of that comes naturally!

So, Hunter looks to have implemented a system of defensive hockey that MOST of his team seems to have bought in to. They are in the 2nd round (and could easily be up a game), took out the defending champs, and it's not because of the run and gun style you saw from them before.

Key here is that Hunter doesn't really give crap. He apparently wasn't all that sure he wanted the job to begin with and i hear he's not sold on sticking with the NHL gig and eying a possible return to junior? If that's the case, he prob doesn't care what anyone, OV included, thinks of the style he's put in place?

Guest6376

Posted - 05/03/2012 : 09:34:31 When the coach plays you 12 minutes a game, the motivation to be a difference maker is affected and your timing is off. Not quite sure what Hunter is trying to do here. He's alianating his star players.

Personally, i feel like Washington panicked after running into a hot goalie in Halak and changed the style that made them successful. You drafted offensively talented players, brought them up in a system that praises offense and a run and gun style and one day to the next, you try to implement a defensive system not suited to your core players. I don't know how Pittsburgh, philly, chicago would do if such a system was imposed from one day to the next.

Guest4178

Posted - 05/03/2012 : 08:52:52 I agree with this posting. As the leader (captain) of his team, Ovechkin needs to show greater leadership.

I don't know what kind of shape he's in (maybe he's injured?), but he continuously shows fatigue on the ice, and on the bench.

Even when you're dead tired, there's a different way to portray yourself. It's almost like he wants to show everyone how tired he is out there, but there are guys playing more minutes who comport themselves differently, who despite being tired, show more energy (and enthusiasm) on the ice, and on the bench. Ovie looks drained, lethargic, and oftentimes frustrated. Not good for the leader on your team.

One other thing I noticed about his play. He seems to be whiffing on shots more than ever. In this series alone, he's missed connecting on at least a half dozen one-timer opportunities, which used to be his trademark shot.

When you're tired, things like this happen. I agree with the guest – Ovie needs to improve his fitness level. Sure, he's a big guy, but so is Brian Boyle. Boyle played near the same amount of regular strength minutes (28-29), and he looked like a stud out there, especially in the 2nd and 3rd overtime periods. Not Ovie though, and Boyle's about 20 pounds heavier than Ovechkin!

By the way, no one came close to the minutes played by Ryan McDonagh in last night's triple-overtime game. (Well, Marc Staal was close.) McDonaugh played 53 minutes, nearly 50% of a game which lasted 114 minutes.